See Which 52 Places to Go We’ve Already Visited From Warsaw to Bangkok
Every January, The Times publishes 52 Places to Go, with our picks for the most compelling destinations to visit in the coming year. It’s a starting point for planning your dream travel.
The list inspired our writers and editors, too, and we hopped on planes, trains and automobiles to report back. Roughly at the midpoint of 2026, here are the places we’ve visited so far — and what we found.
Change is afoot in Warsaw, with a stunning new Museum of Modern Art and a revitalized central square.
Our reporter Christine Chung chronicled a similar vibe shift in the city’s electronic dance music scene, where a scrappy, dynamic club culture is gaining attention from global players. On the dance floor, she wrote: “It felt like existing in another dimension. It didn’t matter that I was alone.”
To have visited Dallas for the World Cup meant a better chance of seeing a match (in its nearby stadium) than elsewhere. Jesus Jiménez, a Dallas native covering North Texas, provided a 36 Hours guide to everything a visitor could have wanted to do, see, hear and eat in between goals.
Barcelona is grappling with overtourism, hoping to make life livable again for residents in affected neighborhoods. The city wants to “change the kinds of tourists who come,” José Antonio Donaire, the new commissioner for sustainable tourism, told us.
Poblenou, a previously industrial neighborhood, captures Barcelona’s spirit of urban reinvention. With that in mind, take a careful look at our 36 Hours guide to the city.
The biggest reason to visit Iceland this year? On Aug. 12, watch the eclipse blot out the sun. The path of totality passes through Reykjavik, the Reykjanes Peninsula, and Westfjords and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Elaine Glusac, our Frugal Traveler, put together this list on how to save money for incoming tourists.
Already a major tourist magnet, Vietnam is poised to grow even further with more hotels and airport construction. For our 36 Hours column, the writer Kit Humphrey focused on the ancient town of Hoi An, replete with modern dining, a sea best swum in at sunset and a UNESCO-listed Old Town. Hot tip: Don’t miss the captivating performance combining circus and dance in a theater built of bamboo.
Bentonville, in the Ozark Mountains, may be best known as the home of Walmart, but it’s also gained a reputation as mountain biking capital of the world. Emily Cochrane, who has reported from the city, took us on a 36 Hours guide through its trails, festivals and museums, noting that “it’s the enthusiasm and hospitality of those who live and ride through Bentonville that have created a charming, accessible destination.”
